WTWorld+Content+Analysis

=Board Game Content Analysis=

Wandering the World
A geographic adventure taking the ninth grade students on a journey across the Planet Earth, exploring the cultural, political, and physical aspects of today's world.

General Overview:
//Wandering the World// is a game focused on the learning of geographic facts and concepts married to a simple concept of team competition. As such, it matches with some psychological theories of games more than others.
 * Csíkszentmihályi's flow theory does not apply in any real sense. Board games in general, and this one in particular, do not lend themselves to the concept of flow. It's difficult to be in a concentrated and focused state in such as situation, and losing a sense of time is very rarely going to happen. When played in teams, there will be a loss of personal control and as the game progresses from group to group, there is little likelihood of staying absorbed in the activity.
 * Malone's concept of intrinsic motivation can be applied at certain levels. Individuals within the teams may feel challenged by the game, whether because they have the goals of doing well or perhaps learning the material, or because of the uncertainty of which team will win this time. Motivation may also be present at a team level as the people involved enjoy the opportunity to interact with their peers and are inspired to cooperate to reach goals as a group.
 * Keller's ARCS model can also be applied to //Wandering the World//. One of the key advantages to game play in the class room is that it is usually a very successful attention-getter. The game, built as it is on information derived from the Sweetwater District adopted text for geography, is most assuredly relevant. How much confidence and satisfaction is gleaned from the playing of the game is largely dependent on the mind set and skill set of the individual player.

The smallest unit of information || Rules. Basic rule requiring factual knowledge: Roll of die determines order of play. || Question Cards. Example of cards showing recall of factual information: What is Canada’s capitol? In what region is it located? || Categories of things with a common name and critical attributes || Breaking up of world into cultural regions. || Questions Cards. Example: Define the phrase “service industry”. Give at least 2 examples. || If-Then relationships between concepts || Correct answer earn Colonizing Coin; incorrect response leads to loss of coin If a team controls three regions, then they win the game || NA || Step by step actions in a series || Gaining control of own region Expanding control to other regions || NA || Natural or routine sequences of events || Order of play || NA || Unpredictable happenings || Roll of the die. Whether the team marker lands on a space with a question mark on it. || Question Cards. Cards have different levels of difficulties which cannot be anticipated. || The backdrop for all the content || Game board. Board is a representation of the world, broken into regions to be studied throughout the course of the school year. || Ninth Grade World Geography. Sweetwater District students are required to take geography as ninth graders, and this game is designed to help these students succeed in this core class. || The roles or points of view from which people look at and interact with this content || NA || NA ||
 * ~ Content Type ||~ Game Elements ||~ Content Elements ||
 * ===Facts===
 * ===Concepts===
 * ===Principles===
 * ===Procedures===
 * ===Processes===
 * ===Probabilities===
 * ===Context===
 * ===Vantage Points===